I Pity the Poor Immigrant

[Kent Allard]

So what's this all about?


I pity the poor immigrant
Who wishes he would've stayed home
Who uses all his power to do evil
But in the end is always left so alone
That man whom with his fingers cheats
And who lies with ev'ry breath
Who passionately hates his life
And likewise fears his death.

I pity the poor immigrant
Whose strength is spent in vain
Whose heaven is like Ironsides
Whose tears are like rain
Who eats but is not satisfied
Who hears but does not see
Who falls in love with wealth itself
And turns his back on me.

I pity the poor immigrant
Who tramples through the mud
Who fills his mouth with laughing
And who builds his town with blood
Whose visions in the final end
Must shatter like the glass
I pity the poor immigrant
When his gladness comes to pass.

- B Dylan

[thin man]

For information :-


This song is yet another of Dylan's that uses a traditional tune, "The Bonnie Lass of Fyvie" as its base, which Dylan had used before in "Pretty Peggy O.However, instead of the folk material Dylan uses his very own take on quotes from the Bible, Leviticus - "Your strength shall be spent vain"; Deuteronomy -"My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth"
Dylan took 10 takes to record this (Nov 6 1967) but it remained in his concert repertoire for 10 years. It was first performed live at the Isle of Wight festival on Aug 31 1969.



"Well, the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy,
The law of the jungle and the sea are your only teachers."

Jokerman

[Sandrine]

A beautiful melody.

[Kent Allard]

Who is the immigrant? Very much a bad guy in this song

[Sandrine]

Who is the immigrant? Very much a bad guy in this song

Bob Dylan ?

[Landys ghost]

Is it relevant? Once you get your head round the idea that the whole of JWH - apart from the final two tracks - is a Post motor bike conceptual review of his life,along with checking out the spiritual pulse of the US,then theres no need.Indeed it seems likely that he's all the chatacters,that would certainly fit in with his complex personality and multi-dimensionalism.To do this he cloaks and codes the thing in old testement language,he couldve used the works of Shakespeare but he used the Wibble instead, knowing who the immigrant is ,is not important,if you look at the album this way.

[Kent Allard]

But the poor immigrant is really a very bad guy...it aint Bob...I assume it's the Devil...after his exit from heaven.

[Landys ghost]

But the poor immigrant is really a very bad guy...it aint Bob...I assume it's the Devil...after his exit from heaven.

you would....it could refer as easily to the Mafia...on a personal level I see the immigrant as someone to be pitied [ thats why its called that?? ],that he in effect "sold out" when he became established, that too could refer to Dylan and his move away from protest to pop charts, sorry I stick by my original idea and one pretty much agreed - thats not to say your not entitled to an opinion, it's just that , coming from your background , it's a bit of an obvious conclusion/assumption

[Kent Allard]

you would

He's the best match for the photofit pic...

[Kent Allard]

He's the best match for the photofit pic...

The poor immigrant makes Al Capone look like Mother Theresa

Who is the me in turns his back on me? Maybe that's a more interesting question than asking the ID of the immigrant.

I assume it's Bob, since he wrote the song..or is that a false assumption?

[Landys ghost]

The poor immigrant makes Al Capone look like Mother Theresa

Who is the me in turns his back on me? Maybe that's a more interesting question than asking the ID of the immigrant.

I assume it's Bob, since he wrote the song..or is that a false assumption?

inner and outer man,it could refer to conflicting natures,or conscience, think about it..........if you do something wrong and you know its wrong then your turning your back on your own conscience, right? so part of Bob Dylan may think [ for example ] that buying a Rolls Royce [ say] is decadent if living in a poverty striken society, but does it anyway - the whole album is one of self flagellation

[Kent Allard]

Not sure about that..he's wealthy but he did make CITH as a 100% charity record. Did he do that out of guilt? I doubt it.

[Landys ghost]

Not sure about that..he's wealthy but he did make CITH as a 100% charity record. Did he do that out of guilt? I doubt it.

no you have the wrong end of the wedge...perhaps my example was a poor one, I mean doing one thing to the outside world which is at varience to what you kmow should be done, and possibly flaunting oneself in a certain way or behaving in a certain way or - as my mum used to say - "forgetting who you are" - people fight with their inner selves all the time, Dylan often uses this technique of talking to himself,so "turns his back on me" while superficially sounding first to second person may well in fact be first person only

[Kent Allard]

But doesn't Dylan sometimes speak as someone other than himself, rather than as an alternative version of himself? Why would he see the Immigrant as turning his back on him (BD)?. Strange line, if you ask me...I like it, it has evocations.

[Isis]

But doesn't Dylan sometimes speak as someone other than himself, rather than as an alternative version of himself? Why would he see the Immigrant as turning his back on him (BD)?. Strange line, if you ask me...I like it, it has evocations.
I am pretty sure he does Kent? When he says me he can include not only himself but humianity in general (at least that is how I percieve it now that you pointed it out)

[Landys ghost]

But doesn't Dylan sometimes speak as someone other than himself, rather than as an alternative version of himself? Why would he see the Immigrant as turning his back on him (BD)?. Strange line, if you ask me...I like it, it has evocations.

yes , he uses lots of forms, thinking out loud about the inner/ outer struggle is another continual theme of his so no I dont find it strange at all,your looking at a line in isolation to the rest of whats happening,I'm not sure thats a sensible approach tbh, your also trying to figure who the immigrant is, why? it may be what it represents - think outside the box for a minute Kent and take the religious blinkers off

[Kent Allard]

yes , he uses lots of forms, thinking out loud about the inner/ outer struggle is another continual theme of his so no I dont find it strange at all,your looking at a line in isolation to the rest of whats happening,I'm not sure thats a sensible approach tbh, your also trying to figure who the immigrant is, why? it may be what it represents - think outside the box for a minute Kent and take the religious blinkers off

What exactly are you accusing me of?...I'm never really quite sure.